Photography

Photography Tutorials – How To Market Your Skills and Photograph Birds

Marketing your skills is important but first you have to be good, because marketing shit is a waste of resources

How to Attract and Photograph Birds in Your Own Backyard

How to Achieve Simple, Dramatic Portrait Lighting

9 Fundamental Ways to Market Your Photography

Making Your Digital Photo Look Like Film

Illustration

Illustration Tutorials – Flat Type and Sweet Cherry Chocolate Cake

Wondering what’s up with the Sweet Cherry Chocolate Cake, well check out the tutorial and have some, and this cake won’t go to your hips so it’s all good.

Create On-Trend Flat Type with a Nautical Theme in Adobe Illustrator

How to Draw a Sweet Cherry Chocolate Cake Slice in Adobe Illustrator

Create a Mosaic, BBC Inspired, Text Art Effect in Adobe Illustrator

Create a Futuristic Robot Helmet in a Line Art Style in Adobe Illustrator

Electronics

Electronic Devices Tutorials – Car Audio, Subwoofers and Amplifiers

This is part 1 of this 2 part series on Car audio, this part is just to get you familiar and get an idea about how to set up an aftermarket car audio system, next time you will get to see how it is actually done.

Car Audio : How to Tell if a Car Subwoofer Is Blown

Car Audio : How to Bridge 2 Subwoofers Together

Car Audio : Choosing a Car Amp

Car Audio : What Do I Need for a Good Car Audio System?

Car Audio : About Car Audio Wiring Installation

Car Audio : Car Audio Amplifier Installation Tips

Design

Design Tutorials – 3D Text, Anime and Superheros

One of those times when I feel all mushy inside, Superman and Batman in the same post is either epic amounts of trolling or epic amounts of awesome, this time its awesome.

Create Epic “Man Of Steel” Fan Art in Photoshop

Holy Vector Tutorial! Create a Retro Batman Logo in Adobe Illustrator!

Create a Glowing 3D Text Effect With Filter Forge and Photoshop

How to Draw and Color Anime-Styled Eyes in Adobe Photoshop

Computing

Computing Tips and Tricks – Windows Shortcuts

I realized since the launch of Windows 8, a lot of desktop users have hated the new look, and I personally aren’t a big fan of it, but here are some shortcuts that I found that could help out with everyday tasks. Source: Computerhope.com

General Windows keyboard shortcuts

Alt + Tab

Switch between open applications in all versions of Windows. Reverse the direction by pressing Alt + Shift + Tab at the same time.

Ctrl + Tab

Switches between program groups, tabs, or document windows in applications that support this feature. Reverse the direction by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Tab at the same time.

Alt + double-click

Display the properties of the object you double-click on in Windows 95 and later. For example, doing this on a file would display its properties.

Alt + Print Screen

Create a screen shot only for the active program window in all versions of Windows. For example, if you opened the calculator and did this only the calculator window would be created as a screen shot. If just the Print Screen key is pressed the whole screen will be made into a screen shot.

Ctrl + Alt + Del

Open the Windows option screen for locking computer, switching user, Task Manager, etc. in later versions of Windows. Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del multiple times will reboot the computer.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Immediately bring up the Windows Task Manager in Windows 2000 and later.

Ctrl + Esc

Open the Windows Start menu in most versions of Windows. In Windows 8 this will open the Start screen and in Windows 3.x this would bring up the Task Manager.

Alt + Esc

Switch between open applications on Taskbar in Windows 95 and later.

Alt + Space bar

Drops down the window control menu for the currently open Windows program in Windows 95 and later.

Alt + Enter

Opens properties window of selected icon or program in Windows 95 and later.

Alt + Space bar

Open the control menu for the current window open in all versions of Windows.

Shift + Del

Will delete any file or other object without throwing it into the Recycle Bin in Windows 95 and later.

Hold down the Shift key

When putting in an audio CD or other CD that uses Autoplay, holding down the Shift key will prevent that CD from playing.

Windows function key shortcuts

Below is a listing of keyboard shortcuts that use the keyboard function keys.

Activates help for current open application. If you’re at the Windows Desktop, this will activate the help for Windows.

Renames a highlighted icon, file, or folder in all versions of Windows.

Starts find or search when at the Windows Desktop in all versions of Windows.

In Windows 95 and later this opens the drive selection or address bar when browsing files in Windows Explorer.

Pressing Alt + F4 closes the current open program window without a prompt in all versions of Windows.
Pressing Ctrl + F4 closes the open window within the current active window in Microsoft Windows. This will only work in programs that support multiple windows or tabs in the same program window.

While in Windows Explorer, this will move the cursor to different Windows Explorer pane or in Windows 7 browse available drives.

Pressing F8 over and over as the computer is booting will start the computer in Safe Mode.

F10

Activates the File menu bar in all versions of Windows.

Simulates a right-click on selected item. This is useful if right-click is difficult or impossible using the mouse.

Windows keyboard key shortcuts

Below is a listing of Windows keys that can be used on computers running a Microsoft Windows 95 or later and using a keyboard with a Windows key. In the below list of shortcuts, the Windows key is represented by “WINKEY” and because not all these shortcuts will work in all versions of Windows we’ve mentioned what versions of Windows support each Windows key shortcut key.

All versions of Windows

WINKEY

Pressing the Windows key alone will open or hide the Windows Start menu. In Windows 8, this will open or hide the Start screen.

WINKEY + F1

Open the Microsoft Windows help and support center.

WINKEY + Pause / Break key

Open the System Properties window.

WINKEY + D

Opens the Desktop to the top of all other windows.

WINKEY + E

Open Microsoft Windows Explorer.

WINKEY + F

Display the Windows Search or Find feature.

WINKEY + Ctrl + F

Display the search for computers window.

WINKEY + L

Lock the computer and switch users if needed (Windows XP and above only).

WINKEY + M

Minimizes all windows.

WINKEY + Shift + M

Undo the minimize done by WINKEY + M and WINKEY + D.

WINKEY + R

Open the run window.

WINKEY + U

Open Utility Manager or the Ease of Access Center.

Windows XP only

WINKEY + Tab

Cycle through open programs through the Taskbar.

Windows 7 and 8 only

WINKEY + 1-0

Pressing the Windows key and any of the top row number keys from 1 to 0 will open the program corresponding to the number of icon on the Taskbar. For example, if the first icon on the Taskbar was Internet Explorer pressing WINKEY + 1 would open that program or switch to it if already open.

WINKEY + (Plus (+) or Minus (-))

Open Windows Magnifier and zoom in with the plus symbol (+) and zoom out with the minus symbol (-).

Press the WINKEY + ESC to close the Magnifier

WINKEY + Home

Minimize all windows except the active window.

WINKEY + P

Change between the monitor and projection display types or how second screen displays computer screen.

WINKEY + T

Set the focus on the Taskbar icons

WINKEY + Left arrow

Shrinks the window to 1/2 screen on the left side for side by side viewing.

WINKEY + Right arrow

Shrinks the window to 1/2 screen on the right side for side by side viewing.

WINKEY + Up arrow

When in the side by side viewing mode, this shortcut takes the screen back to full size.

WINKEY + Down arrow

Minimizes the screen. Also, when in the side by side viewing mode, this shortcut takes the screen back to a minimized size.

Windows 8 only

WINKEY + ,

Peek at the Windows Desktop.

WINKEY + .

Snap a Windows App to the sides of the screen. Pressing it multiple times will switch between the right and left-hand side of the screen or unsnap the app.

WINKEY + Enter

Open Windows Narrator

WINKEY + C

Open the Charms.

WINKEY + G

Cycle through Desktop gadgets.

WINKEY + H

Open Share in Charms.

WINKEY + I

Open the Settings in Charms.

WINKEY + J

Switch between snapped apps.

WINKEY + K

Open Devices in Charms.

WINKEY + O

Lock the screen orientation.

WINKEY + X

Open the power user menu, which gives you access to many of the features most power users would want to use such as Device Manager, Control Panel, Event Viewer, Command Prompt, and much more.

Audio Production

Audio Production Tutorials – Learning To Play A Reggae Riddim On The Guitar

Now out of everything in this world I think music has to be the one thing I love more than anything, with the exception of God, but it would come as no surprise that I would recommend learning to play an instrument if you are serious about Audio Production. Learning an instrument gives you the basics and all that is left is mastering the DAW.

How to play Reggae Riddim Guitar – 3 beginner strumming patterns

Learning the notes on the guitar fretboard

Beginner Fingerpicking

Adele “Set Fire to the Rain” Reggae Song, Chords, & Lyrics

3D and Aninmation

3D and Animation Tutorials – Displacement, Deformation, Modeling, Texturing and Rendering

MY first day back at blogging, while you may realize the schedule is now way, way off from my regular time, I think I prefer blogging this late / early, as the environment is quiet and you get to think. These tutorials are based for cinema 4d, the first is definitely advanced but the second is more of a beginner’s guide.

Displacement and Deformation Techniques in Cinema 4D